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The European Union is set to discuss political and consular matters related to the war in Iran on Sunday afternoon, with the repatriation of European nationals trapped in Iran and across the Middle East emerging as one of the most pressing concerns, Euronews has learned from two sources with direct knowledge of the talks.
EU ambassadors are due to meet in the early afternoon in their COREPER format, while the Foreign Affairs Council will convene via video call at 17:00.
According to sources familiar with the preparations, consular assistance and the repatriation of European citizens were already raised at a Sunday morning gathering of national experts, known as the Working Party meeting.
Several European countries have urged their nationals to refrain from travelling to Iran or Israel and have called on them to register for consular assistance.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in a social media post that measures were being taken to protect French citizens.
“At this decisive moment, every measure is being taken to ensure the security of our national territory, our citizens, and our interests in the Middle East. France also stands ready to deploy the necessary resources to protect its closest partners should they request it,” Macron said.
Nearly 3,500 flights cancelled at seven airports
The total number of European nationals currently in Iran or elsewhere in the Middle East is not known.
The conflict has severely disrupted air travel across the region, with around 3,400 flights cancelled at seven airports, according to data from Flightradar24.
On Saturday, Qatar, Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain closed their airspace. Airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Manama also shut their doors.
The closure of the major hub airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha has paralysed three of the world’s largest carriers — Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad — which together handle around 90,000 passengers through those hubs each day.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports were also struck in what appeared to be Iranian counter-strikes. Israel has already announced it is preparing a repatriation mission to bring home its nationals once airspace reopens.
The scale of the potential operation draws comparisons with the EU’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
At the height of the outbreak in 2020, the bloc coordinated a large-scale repatriation effort that brought home around 600,000 citizens, with the European Commission allocating €75 million to cover 75 per cent of transport costs.